Joe Root is only 3-4 years away...: Ricky Ponting claims Sachin Tendulkar's biggest Test record will be shattered

Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting came up with a bold prediction. He backed England National Cricket Team batter Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's record for most Test runs, saying that it will take the batter 3-4 years to go past the batting great.

In the last few years, Joe Root has become a run machine for the England National Cricket Team. The right-hander has been the most consistent batter going around the World of cricket in the longest format of the game and is currently the No.1 ranked batter in the format.

Root in the recently concluded Test against West Indies was at his best. The batter continued his good form and made sure that he helped his team win the series. During the series, he also completed 12000 runs in the longest format of the game and became the seventh-highest run-scorer of all time.

Joe Root has a great chance to go past Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar in terms of the leading run-getter in Tests. He is 1,351 runs behind the Australia legend and 4000 runs behind Tendulkar. With the kind of form he is in, it won't be a surprise if he goes past both the legends.

Ponting said that Joe Root potentially can go past Sachin Tendulkar. He highlighted how the England batter is getting 800 to 1000 runs a year and stated that if the batter can keep the hunger, he can become the leading run-getter in the Tests. Speaking to the ICC, he explained:

"He could potentially do that. He is 33 years of age…(more than) 3000 runs behind. It depends how many Test matches they play, but if they're playing 10 to 14 Test matches a year and if you're scoring 800 to 1000 runs a year, then that sort of says he's only three or four years off getting there. So that'll take him to 37 (years of age). If his hunger's still there, then there's every chance that he could do it."

Every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on and makes a big hundred - Ricky Ponting on Joe Root

Ricky Ponting further talked about how Joe Root has made a remarkable turnaround in his career. He stressed how the right-hander earlier used to struggle to convert his half-centuries to centuries but is now making everything count. He explained:

"He is someone that in the last couple of years has got better and better. There's always talk about batters reaching their prime in their early 30s and he's certainly done that. It's been his conversion rates being the big thing.

"Four or five years ago, he was making a lot of 50s and struggling to go on and make hundreds and he's gone the other way recently. Almost every time he gets to 50 now, he goes on and makes a big hundred. So that's been the real turnaround for him."

Joe Root will now be seen in action when the England National Cricket Team takes on the Sri Lanka National Cricket Team. The two teams will be locking horns with each other in the three-match Test series, starting on 21st August in Manchester.